Life-saving suit



March 25, 1930. w. A. TAYLOR 1,752,120

LIFE SAVING SUIT Filed Oct, 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwucnto o 661714 501271! TQXZO) March 25, 1930. w, A, TAYLOR 1,752,120

LIFE- SAVING SUIT Filed Oct. 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 gwumto o Patented Mar. 25, 1930 WILLIAM A. TAYLOR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN LIFE-SAVING SUIT Application filed October 6, 1927.

This invention aims to provide a novel life preserver or suit, whereby a person cast into the sea, particularly from an air-craft, may support himself in the water, minister to his necessities, within reasonable limits, and signal his position.

It is within the province. of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

Vith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in perspective, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, mounted on the body of the wearer;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device by itself, parts being opened out, so that their construction may the more clearly appear;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the helmet, taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken approximately on the line 44 of Figure 2 Figure 5 is a sectional detail showing one of the valves. 7

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a helmet, denoted generally by the numeral 1. The helmet 1 includes a casing 2, the exposed portion of which is covered with luminous material, so that the person wearing the helmet can be seen after night-fall, from afar, and be rescued. On the top of the helmet 1 there is mounted an electric lamp 3. Mirrors or other reflectors are mounted on the casing 2 below the lamp 3. The lamp 3 illuminates the mirrors 4 after night-fall, and gives visibility, for rescue, to the person wearing the helmet. Moreover, the lamp 3 affords illumination by which the wearer of o the helmet can perform any possible operations, such as signaling, swimming, and

Serial No. 224,435.

manipulating the various instrumentalities hereinafter described.

The helmet 1 includes a de ending flexible water-proof mask 5 provide with goggles 6 through which the wearer may peer, the mask 5 having a nose seat 7 Ear flaps 8, which are flexible, are connected to the sides of the casing 2, and the ear flaps 8 may be turned down to cover the ears of the wearer. Flexible elements 9 are secured to any desired portion of the helmet 1, for instance to the ear flaps 8. Ear plugs 10 are attached to the flexible elements 9 and may be used to stop the ears of the wearer, thereby to prevent water from entering the wearers ears.

In the mask 5, a breathing tube 11 is mounted intermediate its ends. The inner end of the breathing tube 11 is marked by the numeral 12, and is flexible, so that the wearer can pinch it shut with his teeth, thereby to prevent water from entering the tube 11 and finding its way into the mouth of the wearer. A transverse barrel 14 is mounted at 15 to turn freely on the outer end of the breathing tube 11, the outer portion of the breathing tube being somewhat more rigid than is the inner, compressible end 12 of the breathing tube. In the ends of the barrel 14, screens 16 are mounted. Air can find its way through the screens 16, into the barrel 14, and thence through the tube 11, into the mouth of the wearer. Because the barrel 14 is mounted at 15 to rotate on the outer end of the tube 11, the barrel will turn freely end for end, and water will not find its way into the barrel 14 with the same freedom that would be possible if the barrel were fixed on the outer end of the breathing tube. The helmet 1 may be held on the head of the wearer in any suitable way, for instance by a securing means 17, such as a jowl strap connected to the lower end of the mask 5 and adapted to buckle around the neck of the wearer.

The device includes a. flexible vest-like body 18 made of any desired material, and preferably waterproof, the arm holes of the body 18 is shown at 20. Separable fasteners 19, of any desired construction, hold the body 18 closed at the front. By means of a flexible strap 21, the helmet 1; is connected tothe upper end of the body 18 of the garment, the strap 21 extending upwardly along the back of the neck of the wearer.

Hollow wings 22 are hinged at their upper ends to the intermediate portion of the body 18. The wings 22 aid in breaking the shock when the wearer drops into the water. They are of use, moreover, in swimming. The inner surfaces 32 of the wings 22 are covered with luminous material, so that the wearer can raise his arm, with oneofthe wings 22, as shown in Figure 1, and in this way give a signal which will be visible a long distance away, in the night. A plurality of watertight containers 23 are secured in place at the upperends of the wings 22, and in the containersmay be placed foodychewing tobacco, or anything else that the operator may need for his welfare or comfort. The hollow wings 22 are provided With transverse reinforcing ribs24, and the wings contain air and add to the buoyancy of the appliance. The wings 22 are supplied on their outer surfaces with arm'sockets 25, and each wing is supplied near to its lower end with a hand grip 26, so that the wing can be mounted on the wearers-a'rm, and be held, as shown on the righthand side of Figure 1 of the drawings. A batter'yj2'? may be mounted upon the body 18 and be hermetically sealed, a. cable 28 leading from the battery to the lamp 3 to convey current tothe lamp. 1

' An air chamber 29 extends around the body 1.8 at a pointabout midway between the ends of the body. A flexible mouth piece 30 is attached to the air chamber 29 and there is a valve 31 at the inner end of the mouth piece 30, the valve being so constructed as to let invair, but preventthe egress of air.. The chamber 29 ordinarily is deflated whilst the suit is being transported on an air plane,but

the operator, upon occasion, can quickly inflate the air chamber 29, by means of the mouth piece 30, to enhance the buoyancy of the suit. A reservoir 33ex-tends around the lower end of the body 13. The ends of 7 pressure that has been attained in the tank.

Aiconduit 38 extends between the tank 35 and the reservoir 33, and there is a hand valve 39 in the conduit38. .A tube 40 is connected to the reservoir 33 and is provided at itsupper end with a valve 41 which the operator can control by means of his teeth or lips. The construction is such that if the wearer needs oxygen, or. air, the same may be derived from the'reservoir 33 by, means of the tube 40. By opening the valve 39, any devenience, considering the nature of the haz- 1 ard and exposure.

The mask 5 may be provided with a tube 50 located partly inside the mask, and partly outside of the mask. The valve 41 on the tube 40 may be connected to the outside of the tube 50, and, then, the wearer can secure oxygen from the tank or reservoir 33, without removing the mask 5 from his face. The operator may connect the mouth piece 30 with the outer endof the tube 50 to bring about an inflation of the air chamber 29. Conduits 51 lead from the air chamber 29 to the wings 22, and valves 52 being interposed in the conduits 51. By openingthe hand valves 52, air can be admitted to the wings 22,.to inflate the wings,

VVhatis claimed is I y 1. In a device of the class described, a body, a helmet, means for connecting the helmet to the body, ear flaps connected to the helmet, ear plugs, and'fiexible elements connecting the ear plugs tothe flaps, the flexible elements and the ear plugs being housed beneath the flaps when the ear plugs and the flaps are in place.

2. In a device of the class described, a body, a helmet, means for connecting thehel met with the body, a breathing tube carried by the helmet, and having its inner end extended into the body, and an open-ended barrel journaled for free rotation on the outer end of the breathing tube.

3. In a device of the class described, a body, wings hinged to the body, and means for connecting the wings to the arms of the wearer, the wings being provided with luminous surfaces, and the luminous surfaces being on the inner sides of the wings, whereby the operator may display the luminous surfaces, or render them occult, at will.

1. In a device of the class described, a body, wings hinged at their upper ends to the body and free for swinging movement, throughout their length, with respect to the body, and means on the outside of the wings for attaching the arms of the wearer to the I outside of the-wings, said means being located between the longitudinal edges of the wings. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature. WILLIAM A. TAYLOR. 

